Nia H. Gill

TRENTON – The Senate State Government Committee today approved a bill, S-507, sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill, to ensure the integrity of the voting process in New Jersey through random statistical audits of voter verified paper records from voting machines used next year in New Jersey.

“There is a constitutional crisis in the State of New Jersey,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, whose bill to establish a statistical based audit was described by supporters as the “Gold Standard” nationally for ensuring the integrity of voting results.

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today praised the start of Atlantic City’s syringe-exchange program as “a long-overdue action that will save thousands of lives” by reducing the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

“Lives that would have been lost to the consequences of addiction will now be saved,” said Senator Gill who sponsored the law which authorized select municipalities like Atlantic City to conduct pilot programs where clean needles are given free to those who seek them.

MONTCLAIR – Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the sponsor of legislation establishing pilot syringe exchange programs in New Jersey, issued the following statement on the announcement today by the Department of Health and Senior Services that it has granted approval to the first participants in the pilot program:

“Today we have taken responsibility to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the State, by establishing the pilot programs for syringe exchange. The programs to be implemented in Newark, Paterson, Camden and Atlantic City will highlight the success of syringe exchange programs in combating the AIDS epidemic, and be an example for the rest of the State to follow. For those at risk of infection, this is a matter of life and death.

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex, released the following statement today regarding Governor Jon Corzine’s signing of S-494, the “Blood-borne Disease Harm Reduction Act,” or “Needle Exchange” bill, which permits the establishment of sterile syringe access programs within municipalities:

“I am here today because we are saving lives.

“Today we take a major step in saving the many lives of New Jersey residents from the AIDS pandemic that is ravaging the word and our state. By enacting this legislation, we can begin to turn back the hands of time to change inaction to life-saving action.

TRENTON – The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee today approved a measure, sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill, to make it illegal for creditors to deny credit to a person solely because that individual was a victim of identity theft.

Violators would face penalties of $5,000 for every proven incident of credit denial to a victim of ID-theft, according to the bill, S-1643.

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today applauded the legislative progress of her bill, S-494, to authorize needle exchange programs which will bring New Jersey closer to containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Senator Gill’s measure, which would authorize trial needle exchange programs in six municipalities, was approved today the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee and now goes to the full Senate. It advanced with a $10 million appropriation that is to be used solely to expand drug treatment programs.

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the prime sponsor of legislation enabling a sterile syringe access program to reduce the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS among intravenous drug users in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the bill’s approval in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 5-2, with one abstention:

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and New Jersey is the only state in the nation that does not permit needle exchange programs to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

TRENTON – The Senate today approved a measure, sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill, that would make it illegal for creditors to deny credit to a person solely because that individual was a victim of identity theft.

“Victims of identity theft shouldn’t have to endure further injustice by being subjected to bad credit ratings,” said Senator Gill, Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. “If their credit is otherwise in good standing, they should not be subjected to delays or denied credit simply because they were victims of identity theft.”